Network element management method, apparatus, and network management system

Abstract

In a network element management method and apparatus, and a network management system where mounting positions of physical components on a network element are unfixed, an external input mounting schedule for a physical component detachable from a network element as mounting plan information including a type of the physical component, a scheduled mounting position within the network element, and a scheduled mounting term is received through a graphical user interface. No overlap with a preliminarily provided mounting schedule for another physical component per each predetermined measure of the scheduled mounting position is confirmed based on the inputted mounting plan information. The mounting plan information is determined to be implementable only when all of the predetermined measures of the scheduled mounting position are confirmed. Information of a holder class instance already generated in association with all of the predetermined measures of the scheduled mounting position is changed only when the mounting schedule is implementable, and a physical class instance associated with the holder class instance is generated.

1. A network element management method comprising:
 receiving an external input mounting schedule for a physical component detachable from a network element as mounting plan information including a type of the physical component, a scheduled mounting position within the network element, and a scheduled mounting term through a graphical user interface; 
 confirming that there is no overlap with a preliminarily provided mounting schedule for another physical component per each predetermined measure of the scheduled mounting position based on the inputted mounting plan information, and determining that the mounting plan information is implementable only when all of the predetermined measures of the scheduled mounting position are confirmed; 
 a first instance processing for changing information of a holder class instance already generated in association with all of the predetermined measures of the scheduled mounting position only when the mounting schedule is implementable; and 
 a second instance processing for generating a physical class instance associated with the holder class instance. 
 
   
   
     2. The network element management method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein when the physical component comprises a unit mountable on a bay of the network element, the holder class comprises a unit holder class for managing a pitch of the bay as the predetermined measure. 
   
   
     3. The network element management method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein when the physical component comprises a card mountable on a unit, the holder class comprises a card holder class for managing a slot of the unit as the predetermined measure. 
   
   
     4. The network element management method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the predetermined measure is an expression of size of a virtual object that characterizes the physical component. 
   
   
     5. The network element management method as claimed in  claim 4  further comprising a third instance processing for generating a blank area class instance associated with the virtual object. 
   
   
     6. A network element management apparatus comprising:
 a graphical user interface for receiving an external input mounting schedule for a physical component detachable from a network element as mounting plan information including a type of the physical component, a scheduled mounting position within the network element, and a scheduled mounting term; 
 determination means for confirming that there is no overlap with a preliminarily provided mounting schedule for another physical component per each predetermined measure of the scheduled mounting position based on the inputted mounting plan information, and for determining that the mounting plan information is implementable only when all of the predetermined measures of the scheduled mounting position are confirmed; 
 first instance processing means for changing information of a holder class instance already generated in association with all of the predetermined measures of the scheduled mounting position only when the mounting schedule is implementable; and 
 second instance processing means for generating a physical class instance associated with the holder class instance. 
 
   
   
     7. The network element management apparatus as claimed in  claim 6  wherein when the physical component comprises a unit mountable on a bay of the network element, the holder class comprises a unit holder class for managing a pitch of the bay as the predetermined measure. 
   
   
     8. The network element management apparatus as claimed in  claim 6  wherein when the physical component comprises a card mountable on a unit, the holder class comprises a card holder class for managing a slot of the unit as the predetermined measure. 
   
   
     9. The network element management apparatus as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the predetermined measure is an expression of size of a virtual object that characterizes the physical component. 
   
   
     10. The network element management method as claimed in  claim 9  further comprising third instance processing means for generating a blank area class instance associated with the virtual object. 
   
   
     11. A network management system comprising:
 an element management server for managing network elements by utilizing the network element management method claimed in  claim 1 ; 
 a network management server for managing a network layer; and 
 a service management server for managing a service for customers. 
 
   
   
     12. The network management system as claimed in  claim 11  wherein the element management server performs setting required for mounting the physical component by using the holder class instance and the physical class instance according to the mounting schedule of the physical component. 
   
   
     13. A network management system comprising:
 an element management server for managing network elements by utilizing the network element management method claimed in  claim 2 ; 
 a network management server for managing a network layer; and 
 a service management server for managing a service for customers. 
 
   
   
     14. The network management system as claimed in  claim 13  wherein the element management server performs setting required for mounting the physical component by using the holder class instance and the physical class instance according to the mounting schedule of the physical component. 
   
   
     15. A network management system comprising:
 an element management server for managing network elements by utilizing the network element management method claimed in  claim 3 ; 
 a network management server for managing a network layer; and 
 a service management server for managing a service for customers. 
 
   
   
     16. The network management system as claimed in  claim 15  wherein the element management server performs setting required for mounting the physical component by using the holder class instance and the physical class instance according to the mounting schedule of the physical component. 
   
   
     17. A network management system comprising:
 an element management server for managing network elements by utilizing a network element management method comprising receiving an external input mounting schedule for a physical component detachable from a network element as mounting plan information including a type of the physical component, a scheduled mounting position within to network element, and a scheduled mounting term through a graphical user interface; confirming that there is no overlap with a preliminarily provided mounting schedule for another physical component per each predetermined measure of the scheduled mounting position based on the inputted mounting plan information, and determining that the mounting plan information is implementable only when all of the predetermined measures of the scheduled mounting position are confirmed; a first instance processing for changing information of a holder class instance already generated in association with all of the predetermined measures of the scheduled mounting position only when the mounting schedule is implementable; and a second instance processing for generating a physical class instance associated with the holder class instance, wherein the predetermined measure is an expression of size of a virtual object that characterizes the physical component; 
 a network management server for managing a network layer; and 
 a service management server for managing a service for customers. 
 
   
   
     18. The network management system as claimed in  claim 17  wherein the element management server performs setting required for mounting the physical component by using the holder class instance and the physical class instance according to the mounting schedule of the physical component. 
   
   
     19. A network management system comprising:
 an element management server for managing network elements by utilizing a network element management method comprising receiving an external input mounting schedule for a physical component detachable from a network element as mounting plan information including a type of the physical component, a scheduled mounting position within the network element, and a scheduled mounting term through a graphical user interface; confirming that there is no overlap with a preliminarily provided mounting schedule for another physical component per each predetermined measure of the scheduled mounting position based on the inputted mounted plan information, and determined that the mounting plan information is implementable only when all of the predetermined measures of the scheduled mounting position are confirmed; a first instance processing for changing information of a holder class instance already generated in association with all of the predetermined measures of the scheduled mounting position only when the mounting schedule is implementable; a second instance processing for generating a physical class instance associated with the holder class instance, and a third instance processing for generating a blank area class instance associated with the virtual object; 
 a network management server for managing a network layer; and 
 a service management server for managing a service for customers. 
 
   
   
     20. The network management system as claimed in  claim 19  wherein the element management server performs setting required for mounting the physical component by using the holder class instance and the physical class instance according to the mounting schedule of the physical component.